Wahine volleyball welcomes back fans, with more on the way

A timeline for the return of the full Rainbow Wahine volleyball experience is set.

For the moment, simply having real voices emanating from the stands in SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center for Hawaii’s homestand this week — even in a limited capacity — represents a landmark for the program.

“Even if it’s 10 fans, I’m excited,” UH senior middle blocker Skyler Williams said. “With somebody in the stands we have somebody that can create energy for you. I wouldn’t say that we can’t create (the energy), but it’s a different type of love. You come out and they’re already hyped and you’re like, ‘all right let me feed off of that.’ Super excited to have any amount of fans.”

With attendance capped at 500 fully vaccinated spectators, UH will welcome fans back to SimpliFi Arena for the first time since the 2019 season when the Rainbow Wahine face UC Davis on Friday and UC Riverside on Saturday. All tickets for the Big West series have been accounted for, according to UH.

After having the 2020 season canceled due to the pandemic, the Wahine played their first nine home matches this season in an empty arena — as did the UH basketball and men’s volleyball programs the past winter and spring — with artificial crowd-noise played through the speakers to break up the stark silence in the 10,300-seat facility.

While having any fans back in the seats this week is reason for excitement for the Wahine this week, the prospect of full attendance — and a return of the atmosphere UH volleyball is renowned for — came into focus on Wednesday.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced that the capacity restrictions will be effectively lifted for managed indoor and outdoor events starting Nov. 3, providing spectators are fully vaccinated. After this week’s matches, UH will have four home dates left in the regular season with the Nov. 12 match against UC Irvine the first eligible to have full attendance.

“In a word, awesome,” UH coach Robyn Ah Mow said Wednesday. “It’s awesome because it means things are getting back to normal. It’s awesome for our student-athletes, and it’s awesome because sports can pull the community together and raise them up.”

The Wahine also have home dates with UC San Diego (Nov. 14), Cal State Northridge (Nov. 26) and UC Santa Barbara on senior night (Nov. 27).

“A lot of our student-athletes, they’ve never played in front of the best fans in the country, especially Wahine volleyball, we know we’ve got the best fans in the country,” UH athletics director David Matlin said during Wednesday’s press conference announcing the upcoming changes.

“Obviously we’re going to steward this responsibility thoughtfully and work really hard to continue to do this in a safe and healthy manner. … I’m excited for our student athletes, but I’m really excited for our whole state and our whole community, especially all the people here that are just great Rainbow Warrior and Wahine fans.

“There’s a lot of people in the quarry right now in Manoa that are really happy and a lot of parents are going to be jumping for joy.”

Friday’s match with UC Davis will be the first Wahine volleyball match with fans in the arena since UH’s sweep of San Diego in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Dec. 7, 2019.

UH setter Kate Lang experienced the atmosphere of a sold-out Stan Sheriff Center two weeks earlier during her recruiting visit and will be among the Wahine freshmen who will play in front of home fans for the first time this week.

“I was here for (former UH All-American Norene Iosia’s) senior night,” Lang said following UH’s home win over Cal State Bakersfield on Oct. 16. “So seeing that and then coming into an arena that’s empty, it’s tough. So I’m really excited about the next home game.”

The Wahine (12-6, 9-1 Big West) return home this week tied with UC Santa Barbara for first place in the conference and coming off a split of their road trip last week. The program’s 19-match Big West winning streak ended with a sweep at UCSB a week ago today and the Wahine bounced back with a four-set win at Cal State Northridge on Saturday.

“I knew we were going to come back harder,” Williams said. “We all went back and self-reflected on the (UCSB) match and knew we were going to come back and tweak and fix what we needed to do.”

UH opened the Big West season with sweeps at UC Riverside (25-21, 25-19, 25-16) and at UC Davis (25-18, 25-13, 25-19). The Wahine hit .360 over the road trip, including a .396 performance against UC Davis.

But the Aggies (8-14, 4-7) enter Friday’s match having won three of their last four, starting with a four-set win over UC Santa Barbara on Oct. 16 when they out-blocked the Gauchos 19-6. UC Davis middle blocker Josephine Ough had 10 kills and 12 blocks that night and ranks second in the Big West with 1.29 blocks per set and is fourth with a .395 hitting percentage.

UC Davis picked up a sweep at Long Beach State on Saturday and served up 12 aces in a 25-18, 25-16, 25-15 home win over UC Riverside on Tuesday.

“I don’t think anybody is going to really change the way they play,” Ah Mow said of teams making adjustments entering the second half of the Big West schedule. “It’s just coming out and competing. Who’s going to come out and compete and who’s going to show up that day.”

BIG WEST VOLLEYBALL

At SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center

UC Davis (8-14, 4-7 BWC) vs. Hawaii (12-6, 9-1)

>> When: Friday, 7 p.m.

>> Spectrum OC 16

>> Radio: 1420-AM/92.7-FM

TICKET BREAKDOWN

All tickets for Friday’s and Saturday’s Rainbow Wahine volleyball matches have been accounted for and eligible season-ticket holders have been contacted by the UH ticket office. Here is a breakdown of the ticket distribution:

Women’s volleyball program — 20%

Visiting team — 8%

Season ticket holders — 33%

UH Students — 10%

Corporate Partners — 29%

Source: UH athletics

IF YOU GO …

Up to 500 fully vaccinated spectators will be allowed into SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center for the University of Hawaii women’s volleyball team’s Big West matches against UC Davis on Friday and UC Riverside on Saturday. A few requirements to remember before heading to the arena:

>> Anyone entering SimpliFi Arena will be required to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19. Children under 12 who are not fully vaccinated will not be allowed to attend.

>> Face masks must be worn at all times except when taking sips of water.

>> Attendees must download the LumiSight UH health check app (available on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store and on the LumiSight UH website).

>> A vaccination card must be uploaded to the app three days before the game or match. It may take several days for the uploaded card to be approved. Vaccination information will need to be uploaded just once.

>> On game day, the LumiSight screening — a series of questions regarding COVID-19 symptoms and possible exposure — must be completed on the app before arriving on campus. The “You may report to campus” screen must be shown upon entering the facility.

>> UH encourages attendees to use the mobile ticketing option. Fans can receive mobile tickets via email or can access them through their online account.

>> Attendees may bring in one clear bag — no larger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches — per person.

>> Outside food and beverages are prohibited. Bottled water will be available for purchase.

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More information is available at hawaiiathletics.com